Draft & original correspondence between Breandán Breathnach and Ken McLeod, Robert McMahon, Alaska; and Jackie Small. Correspondence between Breathnach and McMahon relate to ‘procuring a practice set from Kevin Thompson’ (20 Oct 1976)
Draft & original correspondence between Breandán Breathnach, Jackie Small, Ballinfoyle, Galway and two employees of Gaeltarra Éireann, Na Forbacha, Gaillimh [Galway], Cathal Mac Gabhann, Stiúrthoir, and Tomás Bairéad, Oifigeach Taighde; a typescript entitled ‘A Proposal for manufacture of Uilleann Pipes’ which proposes setting up the watchmaker, Brian Gallahar, ‘a skilled craftsman in a field which has some common ground with musical instrument making (in turning and boring fine metals)’ as a pipe maker in the Ros Muc Gaeltacht. Gaeltarra turn down Na Píobairí Uilleann’s proposal because of a similar venture which was being considered in Rinn, [Co. Waterford] involving ‘‘Sky’ and Liam Clancy (of the Clancy Brothers)’ [16 Apr 1976]
Letters from Aidan Walsh, BA Curator, Monaghan County Museum, The Courthouse, Monaghan to Breandán Breathnach; exhibition catalogue ‘Pipes and Piping: An exhibition from Na Piobairi Uilleann, Dublin. Monaghan County Museum, October 7 - November 3 1977’; and copies of newspaper clipping relating to the exhibition from ‘The Anglo Celt’, ‘The Northern Standard’ and ‘The Argus’. Letters relating to the mounting of the piping exhibition in Monaghan County Museum. Aidan Walsh wrote that the exhibition was ‘well received’ and that ‘our daily attendance averaged 50 throughout the exhibition which was an increase on our normal October level’ (21 Nov 1977).
Letters from Roderick D. Cannon; Mick Farrell, Melbourne; Séamus [Ennis] (Ennis, Séamus, 1919-1982); Sammy Wade, Antrim; Ciss Talty, Miltown Malbay, Co Clare; Robbie Hannan; Eilish Moore, Dublin suggesting a presentation to Seamus Ennis should take place ‘Recently Seamus Ennis played in the venue and he moved me so much that I feel compelled to do something for this gentleman. It has been suggested to me by various musicians that a public presentation should be made to this gentleman in appreciation for his contribution to Irish Music’ (26 May 1977); letter from C.I.H. Bayley, Teddington, Middlesex, who is making ‘uilleann and Northumbrian Pipes as a hobby’ he is looking for information ‘on the construction of extra regulators’ includes five diagrams (1 June 1977); letter from James T. McGuire Jr, Evanston, Illinois, who is carrying out research on ‘chief Francis O’Neill (O’Neill, Francis, 1848-1936) and other Chicago Musicians, especially pipers’ (17 Oct 1977); letter from Padraig Ó Fearail enclosing a copy of the programme for ‘Éigse Mhantáin, Royal Starlight Hotel, Bray October 7/8, 1977’ (23 Oct 1977).
Cnuasacht Iomlán den Cheol Damhsa, CICD for short, is Breandán Breathnach’s own title for this resource. CICD is a melodic card index written on 6544 large index cards, each 5 X 8 inches in size. These cards contain full handwritten and printed tunes.
Included in a file marked ‘Shannon Development: Costings L. Byrne’ are draft & original correspondence between Breandán Breathnach and Nick Condon, Librarian, Shannon Development, Shannon Free Airport, Co Clare and Bruce W. Du Ve, Barr Rua, Feakle, Co Clare; and an undated photocopy of Lonan Byrne’s costs for ‘manufacturing uilleann pipes.’ The correspondence relates to a project being researched by Nick Condon ‘on pipe-making, ascertaining ways and means of making it a more productive craft industry’ (17 Feb 1977); Breathnach meets with Condon and recommends pipe-maker, Bruce De Ve; De Ve subsequently writes to Breathnach saying that ‘Shannon Development have been of little assistance of late, and although they are still working on processing my application I am not holding out great hopes’ he asks Breathnach to ‘help me by guaranteeing this bank loan’ (17 Dec 1977); Breathnach replies saying he is ‘unable to meet’ his request and notes that ‘when Shannon Development began dragging their heels I felt they had grown dubious about the enterprise and what I had earmarked for the piping I diverted elsewhere’ (3 Jan 1978).
Draft and original correspondence between Seán Ó Téacháin, National Museum of Ireland, Kildare St, Dublin 2; draft press release and list of newspaper contact information; draft and final copies of ‘Opening speech by Breandán Breathnach at the Exhibition ‘Pipes and Piping’ at the National Museum, Kildare Street, Dublin, from 21 July 1978’; list of ‘Players at the Museum Exhibition’; invitation to the opening of ‘Pipes and Piping’; and photograph taken at the opening of the exhibition. Correspondence relating to the mounting of the piping exhibition in the National Museum of Ireland including a list of uilleann pipers who played ‘at the exhibition each day from Tuesday to Friday inclusive’, these included ‘Dan O’Dowd, Joe McLoughlin, Robbie Hannon [Hannan], Noel Pocock, Terry Moylan, Peter Browne, Paddy Keenan, Padraig MacMathúna, Ronan Browne, Pat Mitchell, Liam Óg Ó Floinn and Andy Conroy’ (Conroy, Andy, 1911-1999) (21 July 1978).
Letters from Séamus MacMathúna, Wexford; Larry McCullough; Larry Lynch who encloses a copy of an itinerary for a ‘14 day dance and music tour of Ireland June 23-July 6, 1981’; letter from Diarmuid Grainger ‘enclosing details of the passing away of Mr Moss Kennedy, piper and pipe maker… he was 82’ Grainger gives a good deal of biographical information in this letter (4 June 1982); letter from Tadhg Mac Lochlainn thanking Breandán Breathnach for the tape of ‘D[enis]. Delaney’, MacLochlainn ‘knew Denis well and saw [him] playing in 1916/17 when I was about 10 or 11 yrs.’ (4 Dec 1982)
Correspondence, catalogues, instruction manuals and receipts relating to the purchase of a music typewriter from the Music Print Corporation, New York by Na Píobairí Uilleann. Also included is a letter to Mr P. Glackin (Glackin, Paddy), Traditional Music Officer, Arts Council, [Dublin] relating to grants awarded to Na Píobairí Uilleann & the Folk Music Society for the ‘cost of the musicwriter’ and ‘cost of laying out the Goodman mss’ and the ‘cost of preparing the Petrie mss for printers.’ (5 May 1981)
![Breandán Breathnach Collection. Reel-to-Reel 278 [sound recording] / [various performers]. Track 64](/images/generic-icons/audio.png){kind=icon}